5 Tales of Valentine Woes

Thinking about giving your loved one something special this Valentine’s Day? Think twice. Pets want to get in on the action too, and often do so the only way they know how—by eating any gifts they can fit in their mouth. Dogs are the number one culprit. In celebration of the holiday of love, Trupanion, a medical insurance company for pets, reveals data on the most common and quirky Valentines-related foreign body ingestion claims every pet owner should be aware of this February 14th.

Chocolate is the biggest target of Valentine’s-related heists. Canines can’t resist the opportunity to snag some human food, and they don’t realize how toxic it can be. Last February, Trupanion received 35 chocolate ingestion and toxicity claims— that’s more than 1 per day. Dogs have accounted for 99.4% of chocolate ingestion claims since 2011.

Accessories are also a popular snack for love-sick hounds. Of the 21 claims last year, Trupanion paid over $4,400 in claims on earring and undergarment ingestion alone. Trupanion shares five love-lusting pooches’ Valentine’s woes:

1. A German shepherd from Alberta was taken to the veterinarian after he jumped up to snag his owner’s roses and managed to eat the flowers and the vial that held them. Luckily for the shepherd, the stunt didn’t cause any serious health problems.

2. In North Carolina, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel puppy with some expensive taste ate a pearl earring. An x-ray, surgery, and follow up treatments were required.

3. A pet owner in Washington was concerned her pomapoo may have swallowed a pair of ladies underwear. An x-ray and exploratory surgery later, veterinarians extracted a medium-sized pair of undies.

4. An Old English sheepdog in Ontario swallowed a pair of her owner’s earrings and was taken to the vet to avoid complications.

5. A Labrador retriever in British Columbia was rushed to the vet when she collapsed after eating two pounds of fudge and a couple milk chocolate lollypops. The high amount of sugar irritated a stomach ulcer in her gut.

When giving your loved one a gift this Valentine’s day, make sure you keep it out of reach from your furry companion, and for your pet’s sake, be sure to involve your love-sick pooch another way.

About Trupanion

Trupanion is an industry leader in pet medical insurance, offering coverage for cats and dogs in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico with the mission of delivering financial peace of mind to pet owners. Trupanion offers a simple, customizable pet medical insurance policy with 90% coverage for diagnostic tests, surgeries, medications, hospital stays, and alternative therapies for the treatment of injuries or illnesses. Trupanion’s policy includes coverage of hereditary and congenital conditions with no payout limits per incident, per year, or over the lifetime of the pet.

Trupanion is underwritten by the American Pet Insurance Company, which has earned a Financial Stability Rating® of A, Exceptional, from Demotech, Inc. Trupanion is a founding member of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA), demonstrating a commitment to high standards and transparency in all actions and products. For more information call 888-615-8318 or visit Trupanion.com. You can also follow Trupanion on Twitter or Facebook.